1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for restraining a squeezed CRD blade.
2. Related Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a CRD blade 5 for use in a nuclear power plant. Normally, the CRD blade 5 is made with a cruciform cross-sectional shape. The CRD blade 5 is about 4 meters long, and the volume thereof is huge. After use, the CRD blade 5 contains a considerable radiation dose. Therefore, the CRD blade 5 is stored in a spent fuel pool to prevent the radiation dose thereof from contaminating the environment. The CRD blade 5 however occupies precious space in the spent fuel pool. To reduce the space for storing the CRD blade 5, the CRD blade 5 is squeezed so that the cross-sectional shape is changed to H-shaped from cruciform. The squeezing of the CRD blade 5 is conducted at least 2 meters below the water surface.
There is shown a conventional squeezing machine 4 for squeezing the CRD blade 5. The squeezing machine 4 includes a squeezing cylinder, a squeezing plate 41 connected to the squeezing cylinder and a template 42. The squeezing cylinder can be a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. The CRD blade 5 is located between the squeezing plate 41 and the template 42. The squeezing cylinder is actuated to move the squeezing plate 41 towards the template 42, thus squeezing the CRD blade 5. Now, the CRD blade 5 can be stored in the spent fuel pool and occupy small space. The CRD blade 5 might recover from the squeezed status because it is made of steel that is resilient to some extent. Should the CRD blade 5 recover, it would occupy large space.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.